SALISBURY, MD—While Salisbury University students and faculty were working on last final exams of the fall semester, SU and Maryland higher education leaders took time to celebrate their strategic partnerships in Anhui Province, China, during a ceremony at the University of Maryland, College Park.
They welcomed a strong delegation from Anhui, led by Anhui Province Vice Governor Li Jinbin and leaders from 10 Anhui higher education institutions.
During the event, Dr. Brian Stiegler, SU assistant provost for international education, signed two ceremonial agreements with Professor Ming Cui, vice chair of the University Council at Anqing Normal University.
The new agreements focused on two areas. The first continues the decade-long tradition of global faculty mobility between the universities by including faculty from Anqing’s Department of Huangmei Opera as visiting scholars at SU.
Huangmei is one of five traditional opera forms in China. Anqing Normal is the only university in China that offers degree programs to train professional artists in the tradition.
The second agreement continues the vibrant student global mobility between SU and Anqing by creating opportunities for students from Anhui to study as visiting exchange students in SU’s degree programs in computer science and environmental engineering.
“For 15 years, Anqing Normal University has been SU’s most robust university partner in all of China,” said Stiegler. “The consistent exchange of students and professors, as well as creative online programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, have strengthened understanding of China at SU and of the USA at Anqing Normal.”
Dr. Sanjay Rai, Maryland acting secretary of higher education, recognized SU’s and Anqing Normal’s long collaboration during his welcoming address to the Anhui delegation.
Maryland and Anhui Province have been partnered as sister states through the Sister Cities International Organization beginning since the years following President Richard Nixon’s historic 1972 visit to China. For more information about the partnership, visit the Maryland Sister States website.
Learn more about opportunities to Make Tomorrow Yours at the SU website.